You meet outside the Tron Kirk on the Royal Mile at 8.30pm, 9.15pm and 10pm (summer) or 7.30pm or 8.30pm in winter. I went on the 9.15pm walk. A guide dressed in a long black cloak meets the assembled walkers. He takes you to the Greyfriars kirkyard. On the way, you stop to hear stories of the dark side of Edinburgh. We learnt about witch trails, torture techniques, sewage disposal and criminal justice in great detail. Very interesting I must add.
At the Kirkyard, the guide explained how the yard was in three sections. At the martyrs memorial, the guide explained about the Edinburgh martrys. When we stopped at the headstone for John Gray, of Greyfriars bobby fame, the guide told us of a different and far less romantic reason why Bobby was so devoted to the grave. I won't spoil it for anyone planning on taking the tour.
In the criminals section, the guide captivated us with stories of the bodysnatchers and some other notorious criminal elements of old Edinburgh.
Then, it was to the haunted burial vault. According to the material in the Tron church, there have been hundreds of people on guided tours affected by the Mackenzie poltergeist. Records, newspaper clippings and witness accounts are available to read at the Tron church - preferably after the tour. However, that night, McKenzie was being well behaved. Nothing at all happened. The only spooks were living ones, in forms of other tour guides. The guide told us stories of times he had witnessed events happening.
After that, the walk was over. I would not advise this for children, but the teenagers on the walk enjoyed it. I would happily go again and I would cal lit a great introduction to Edinburgh and its history. It was not frightening that night, just so funny you had to be there to apreciate it.